Life-saving-garment attachment.



P. CATINO.

LIFE SAVING GARMENT ATTACHMENT.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 3, 1911.

Patented Oct. 24, 1911.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 50.. WASHINGTON. D c.

PASQUALE CATINO, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT.

LIFE-SAVING-GARMENT' ATTACHMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 3, 1911. Serial No. 631,063.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PASQUALE CATINo, citizen of the United States, residing at Stamford, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Saving-Garment Attachments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to life-saving garment attachments, and is intended to be applied to those jackets or coats constructed to be inflated with air when needed, to render them buoyant, and adapted to be worn either by men or women to enable them to remain afloat in case of shipwreck or accident.

This invention comprises means that may easily be detached from the garment, and as easily attached thereto, constructed for the purpose of holding. the garment downwardly, thus preventing it from rising so high upon the body of the wearer, when in water, as to prove cumbersome and interfere with the perfect freedom of movement of the limbs of the individual. The holding means include loops to engage the feet of the wearer, and other parts of special construction and arrangement.

The construction and arrangement of this invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 represents front and side views of all parts together as worn in use. Fig. 2 is one form of valve employed to inflate the garment by blowing air through it, and for closing the air inlet.

The same letter is used to refer to the same part throughout the description and drawings.

Considering Fig. 1, the garment A, usually in the form of a coat or vest, having an ordinary row of buttons B, or other desired fastenings, is provided with a suitable interior space C that may be inflated with air when necessary, by means of the valve D. In practice, the wearer usually puts the garment on and buttons it, and then inflates it by blowing into the opened valve D, which is then closed in the customary way. Attached to the lower edge of the garment at intervals are a number of rings, for example, rings E, F, and G, and snaphooks e, f, and g, engage the rings, and may be conveniently detached therefrom. To the snaphooks are secured cords H, J and K, and there will be noted the cord L in Fig. 1 that passes to the back of the wearer, and is attached to another snaphook in the rear, not shown, but in all respects the fellow of those illustrated. Cords H, J, K, and L, converge toward and are joined to a common ring M, and from the common rings, of which there are two, one on either side, the single cords N and n pass downwardly and are secured to the rings 0 and P, through which passthe foot loops Q and R.

While this invention is perfectly usable by men, it has a peculiar function when worn by women. It will be noted that, when women wearing skirts are in the water, especially, when they are suddenly, as in the event of a sinking vessel, compelled to take to the water fully dressed, the tendency of the skirts is to rise and interfere with the movement of the arms of the person, besides causing confusion and fright, and taking materially from whatever little presence of mind may remain. In the operation of this invent-ion, the foot loops hold the cords from below, and the buoyancy of the garment draws them taut over the skirts, which are in that way prevented from rising or becoming otherwise displaced.

Considering Fig. 2, one form of inflation valve is illustrated. The mouthpiece S being unscrewed slightly, permits air to be blown through the ducts 8. When the mouthpiece is screwed inwardly, the plug T closes the opening and the air is retained within the cavity C.

Having now described this invention, and explained the mode of its operation, what I claim is A life-saving device comprising a removable buoyant garment constructed to be worn upon the upper part of the body, loops to Patented Oct. 24, 1911.

engage the feet of the wearer, and cords con- In testimony whereof I affix my signature neaeting 51 i? Sfiidf loo is With the lflOIZif ttllld in presence of two Witnesses.

si es an ac 0 saic arment W 1ere t 1e T same is prevented fron l rising out of 120s PASQUALE GATE) tion upon the wearers body when immersed, Witnesses: K

and whereby the skirts of a female wearer CHARLES E. MOORE,

are held down. ABRAHAM MILLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

